Masters of the Word

How Media Shaped History From the Alphabet to the Internet

From the birth of writing in Mesopotamia to the technologies of today, Masters of the Word documents the technology of media--a revolutionary tool that allowed rulers to extend their control far and wide, giving rise to the world's first empires.

Contents:OriginsThe ABCs of democracyTwelve tables, seven hills, and a few early ChristiansBefore GutenbergPunch and counterpunchThe captive pressWith a machete in one hand and a radio in the otherThe comrades who couldn't broadcast straightThe argus